ATLANTA I-85 BRIDGE COLLAPSE:

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PROJECT MILESTONE: BRIDGE IS RE-OPENED!

MONDAY, MAY 15, 2017

The Atlanta I-85 bridge is now open! The reconstruction was finished in an impressive six weeks – one month ahead of the original, estimated completion date. Construction crews re-opened the Northbound lanes on late Friday evening, and the Southbound lanes on Saturday. Motorists were able to use the bridge for their Monday morning commute for the first time in six weeks. Congratulations to contractor C.W. Matthews and the Georgia Department of Transportation on such a successful project! Check out the incredible time-lapse video of the completed project above.

STATE OFFICIALS HOPE FOR WEEKEND OPENING

THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2017

Construction crews continue to work around the clock to reach the accelerated deadline of Monday, May 15th. The striped roads give the appearance of a completed roadway; however, there are still a few remaining items to be completed, including expansion joints installation and electrical work for the overhead highway lights. Upon completion, state officials are hoping to open the northbound lanes on Saturday and the southbound lanes on Sunday.

I-85 BRIDGE TO BE COMPLETED BY MAY 15TH

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2017

“This is a day of celebration,” stated Governor Nathan Deal at a press conference held today announcing that the Atlanta I-85 bridge will re-open by Monday, May 15th — five weeks ahead of the original estimated completion date, June 15th. Contractor C.W. Matthews has been able to reconstruct 700 feet of Interstate 85 in just six weeks. “This is a time to say ‘thank you’ because this is an extraordinarily short period of time to complete such a major project,” stated Deal.

PROJECT MILESTONE: FINAL CONCRETE POUR COMPLETED

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017

On Friday evening, construction crews completed the last road surface concrete pour, which marks one of the project’s last major milestones. Today the workers continue to pour concrete for the barrier walls, which will be installed on each side of the bridge deck. Once the bridge has been textured and cured, workers can begin striping and marking the road. On Sunday, C.W. Matthews’ team took a group photo to celebrate the project’s success and timeliness.

ROAD RESURFACE TO BE COMPLETED BY BRIDGE RE-OPEN

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 2017

Taking full advantage of the I-85 closure, the Georgia Department of Transportation continues to resurface a 6.6 mile stretch of I-85 in an effort to minimize any further disruption to motorists. Although the entire resurfacing project will stretch beyond the time frame of the bridge rebuild, GDOT reports that the resurfaced area near the collapse is on schedule to be completed by the time the bridge reopens. Within the southbound closure, three of the six lanes have had the top two paving layers milled and inlayed, while the northbound side is nearly complete.

GDOT ANNOUNCES NEW MAY 25TH COMPLETION DATE

MONDAY, MAY 1, 2017

Today Georgia Department of Transportation officials announced that the I-85 bridge will re-open by Memorial Day. The new estimated completion date for the reconstruction is May 25th, 2017, but GDOT is confident that contractor C.W. Matthews may finish construction sooner. Last week workers installed the last of the support beams, as well as poured concrete for four of the six decks, completing the northbound travel lanes.

BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION TO TOTAL $16.6 MILLION

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2017

In a statement released earlier this week, the Georgia Department of Transportation opened up about the I-85 reconstruction project costs. According to GDOT, the cost to replace the bridge will total $16.6 million, which includes all additional costs including the removal of damaged elements ($1.6M) and contractor incentives ($3.1M). Thus far, GDOT has received $10 million in Federal funding and plans to request additional funds.

GDOT PRAISES CONTRACTOR C.W. MATTHEWS’ WORK

THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017

C.W Matthews has made tremendous progress over the last three and a half weeks. The last beams have been set, totaling 61 beams over 5 spans. Two of the five spans have steel reinforcements in place, and bottom deck forms are completed on all five spans. In a press conference given on April 26th, the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Director of Construction, Marc Mastronardi, praised the quality and pace of work being produced by C.W. Matthews. Marc states, “In roughly 25 years, I have never seen a bridge be designed and constructed this quickly. The quality in what’s being done is second to none.”

PIEDMONT ROAD RE-OPENS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017

Piedmont road was re-opened ahead of schedule this morning as crews continue to work overnight on the bridge. The last 12 of the 61 beams have been installed, covering the entire span of the bridge. While the road closure was not ideal for motorist and local businesses, it was a necessary measure to meet the aggressive timeline. “In terms of moving us forward to that June 15th deadline, this is a really important day for us,” said Natalie Dale, Spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Transportation.

PROJECT MILESTONE: FINAL BEAMS SET ON BRIDGE

TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

Piedmont Road will be closed for 24 hours beginning Tuesday at 9:00 AM while construction crews set the final new beams of the bridge. This is a critical and exciting milestone for the quickly-progressing project. The state continues to be confident that the project will be completed on or before June 15th, 2017.

MARTA PARTNERS WITH GDOT TO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017

Keith Parker, General Manager and CEO of MARTA, has partnered with the Georgia Department of Transportation to provide tips for motorists affected by the I-85 closure. In an effort to reduce vehicle traffic, MARTA is offering a new schedule, increased parking, and new rail services. Other area businesses such as Novelis and Georgia-Pacific have also partnered with GDOT, urging companies to do their part by allowing employees flexible work schedules or the opportunity to work remotely.

GDOT RESURFACES I-85 DURING INACCESSIBILITY

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017

An additional construction crew has arrived on the site of the I-85 rebuild. The Georgia Department of Transportation has decided to resurface the interstate, taking full advantage of the current inaccessibility. GDOT plans to resurface the section of the I-85 between Peachtree and Clairmont Road.

800-TON CRANE BROUGHT TO JOB SITE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

For maximum efficiency, an 800-ton crane has been brought to the site and will be used to set all of the spans for the rebuild. The large crane is a substantial time-saver for construction workers, who would typically use a pair of 150-ton cranes on similar projects. The Georgia Department of Transportation remains confident that the June 15th completion date is still achievable.

SUB-STRUCTURE WORK IS COMPLETE

TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017

The project contractor is set to complete the last cap pour this afternoon, which will conclude sub-structure work on the site. Caps have been placed on top of the columns, as well as underneath bridge beams. The sub-structure provides support for the beams and deck.

GDOT REPORTS CURRENT CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017

Today, the Georgia Department of Transportation reported that in just over two weeks, all demolition, as well as nearly all sub-structure work, has been completed. Over 540 cubic yards of concrete have been poured, and nine and a half tons of reinforcing steel have been installed. Additionally, 20 of the 61 required support beams are already in place.

CONSTRUCTION CREWS CONTINUE TO WORK AROUND THE CLOCK

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2017

It’s been just over two weeks since the collapse of Atlanta I-85, and the construction crews are continuing to work around the clock to meet the State’s ambitious timeline. The interstate closing continues to impact area businesses; however, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported that job growth in Atlanta-area construction has soared.

I-85 FIRST RESPONDERS RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR HEROIC EFFORTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2017

President Donald Trump met with first responders of the I-85 collapse at the White House today. Fifteen officers from the Atlanta Police and Fire Rescue Department, as well as the Georgia State Patrol, were applauded in their heroic efforts during a 30-minute meeting held in the Oval Office. Miraculously, there were no injuries as a result of the collapsed bridge during rush hour. Not only did first responders stop traffic from going over the bridge before the collapse, but those in charge pulled their teams from under the bridge minutes before it fell.

GEORGIA OFFERS INCENTIVES TO FINISH BRIDGE EARLY

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017

According to Georgia’s Department of Transportation, the state has announced it will offer contractor C.W. Matthews $3.1 million in incentives if the interstate is completed and accessible earlier than the targeted date of June 15th. C.W. Matthews could earn $2 million for completing the project by May 21st, and $200,000 each day before that up to a total of $3.1 million.

MAYOR REED ORDERS HALT ON ROAD CONSTRUCTION

MONDAY, APRIL 10, 2017

Mayor Kasim Reed issues an executive order temporarily halting all non-emergency road construction in Atlanta in an effort to make it easier for work crews to rebuild the collapsed bridge. Additionally, Governor Nathan Deal’s declaration of emergency, and streamlining of the standard Federal Highway Administration process for interstate highway projects, is making the June 15th target date of the new bridge possible.

DEMOLITION WORK COMPLETED AT I-85 COLLAPSE CONSTRUCTION SITE

FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017

Georgia Department of Transportation is making fast progress on the Atlanta I-85 bridge collapse. C. W. Matthews Contracting Company has been selected by the Georgia Department of Transportation based on availability, resources, and past performance. All heavy demolition of the remaining site has been completed and new construction has begun. Construction crews have erected remaining, salvageable columns from the site, and new steels forms are being produced. An additional eight beams have been cast off-site, as well. The crew will begin pouring concrete tonight.

CONSTRUCTION-RELATED PRESS CONFERENCE TO BE HELD TOMORROW

TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2017

Nathan Deal provided updates regarding the current traffic conditions, as well as measures being taken to help Atlanta citizens commute through the city during rush hour. A construction-related press conference will be held with tomorrow afternoon the project’s Chief Engineer, Director of Construction, and the State Traffic Engineer to discuss progress, details, and their plan moving forward.

REBUILD CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017

Officials learn that the fire was man-made arson; no injuries were reported in correlation with the fire. Atlanta construction crews begin working 24/7 completing safety investigations and bridge assessments on collapsed site in order to begin rebuilding the affected section of the bridge. Traffic delays continue to be a daunting concern, although officials have a week to establish alternate routes due to spring break taking place next week in Atlanta and the majority of surrounding cities. Construction completion is “to be determined” at this time.

ATLANTA I-85 COLLAPSES DUE TO FIRE

FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

A portion of Atlanta’s I-85 bridge (over GA13, near Piedmont Road), collapsed after a massive fire ignited below the bridge causing Georgia’s Governor, Nathan Deal, to declare a state of emergency. Approximately 220,000 people commute daily using the collapsed portion of I-85; this event is said to be one of Atlanta’s most detrimental traffic-related incidents to date in a city that is ranked 8th worldwide for traffic congestion.